Shield Chronicles: Ch 3
by DarkChaoticPrince
Summary: Marcus VS. Cofagrigus


"Hahaha, still as cunning as ever I see!" Archer was yelling at Red through a blizzard that had been whipped up by his own ice Pokémon. Through the gusting winds and stinging ice, he could see Red with the glowing form of Glaceon protecting him from harm. Red didn't so much as shiver from cold, only stood there prepared to move at a moment's notice. Archer raised his hand and the blizzard instantly subsided. Red's Glaceon morphed into a Jolteon and used Pin Missile. Using Crobat as his wings, Archer launched himself into the air, avoiding the attack. Red followed suit and followed Archer into the air riding on the back of his Aerodactyl.

Archer smiled and yelled through the distance between them. "I must admit, Red. This is the most fun I've had in years." At that he leaned forward and Crobat zoomed at Red. Red smiled underneath his hat, which was the most expression Archer had gotten out of him up until then. He looked Archer straight in the eye as Aerodactyl soared at him. "Me too."

"Gotcha." Lance leaned against the side of the elevator as it soared upward. The ascent was so long that two elevator trips were necessary to reach topside. Marcus had just finished explaining the mission when the elevator shuddered to a halt. The three quickly boarded the next and settled in as it rose, picking up speed, to the surface. Raziel's voice broke the silence first. "So essentially, we just have to defeat the Cofagrigus, right?" Raziel tilted her head as she thought about something. "What happens after that? They are way too pissed to go with Dusknoir." Lance's head bobbed in agreement. "Yea, if the stories are true, these things actually eat people."

Marcus gave Lance a look that said are you completely stupid? He corrected his friend. "They live off of gold and such," He began. "They mummify humans and Pokémon inside their bodies as a defense mechanism, although some do it just for the fun." Raziel gulped. Lance's eyes begged for more. "Well, my understanding is that they wrap up your body first, so you can't escape. Once the gauze is on, it sticks permanently to whatever surface it was applied to. It can be removed along with the clothes, but the parts on arms and faces stay. Then they drain your soul and energy until you are a shriveled, shell of a human." Marcus shrugged. "Then they just spit you out, barely alive and completely defenseless. Most victims die of thirst or hunger." Raziel's jaw unhinged. "Most!?" She looked like she might faint. "What about the lucky few?" Marcus shrugged again. They're found and hospitalized. They're kept alive and all they do is exist until a family member pulls the plug.

Raziel hung her head in sadness. "That's awful." Marcus started to feel awkward. "Well, most every ghost Pokémon has nasty, even scary habits." He tried to search for the right words to make her feel better. He found none. Look," he offered. "Just don't let one grab you and you will be fine. If one manages to get you inside, use light." Raziel perked up a bit. Lance's head jerked towards the ceiling. "What's that noise?" The elevator came shuddering to a halt inside the basement floor of the Arisis gym. Broken pokeballs, shattered boxes, and ruble from the initial attack littered the floor. As they filed out into the room, the strange noise grew, like metal scratching metal. Just then, the roof above them, the first floor of the gym, came crashing down. Lance rolled into the far corner, Raziel used her powers to divert some debris, and Marcus sidestepped the falling metal beams.

As the dust settled, three Cofagrigus dropped into the room, all surrounding Raziel, obviously feeling her fear. Raziel instantly had her spoons out. Lance shot up and yelled at her. "Raz, your powers won't work, run!" Raziel relaxed as the long, shadowy arms reached out for her. Somehow, Marcus knew what she was planning. He let dark energy build up around his hands and elongate into wicked claws. Just as Raziel was almost lost in the darkness of their grasp, her eyes snapped open and were glowing an intense purple. "Miracle Eye!" she yelled. The Cofagrigus flinched back at the sudden light, but rushed her after a moment's hesitation. In that moment, Raziel had two blades of psychic energy ready. She thrust both into the closest Cofagrigus, shattering the Coffin-like shell and revealing the spirit therein. Lance's jaw dropped in astonishment, but Marcus flew into action. He zoomed to the exposed Cofagrigus and sliced it in half with his shadow claw. The Pokémon withered away into nothing. The other two attacked using shadowball. Marcus was blown off his feet, but Raziel Put up a barrier around herself. She yelled over her shoulder. "Lance, Marcus! Some help maybe?" Lance sprang up and rushed beyond the barrier, facing one of the Cofagrigus himself. Raziel focused on the same one.

Marcus shook the stars out of his eyes and got up to face the other. Before he could ready another Shadow Claw, the Cofagrigus hit him with Disable, sending him sailing into the far wall. His Shadow Claw useless, he launched Shadow Ball after Shadow ball, but they each missed. He wasn't clear-headed enough to focus. He reaches for a pokeball. He was going to need help. Before he could open it up, the Cofagrigus wrapped him from head to toe in its shadowy arms and snapped him inside. The last thing he heard was Raziel yelling "No!" before the door shut and his world was filled with shadowy silence.

Inside, Marcus was crammed into a person-shaped space. The temperature had plunged. Marcus was sure he would be able to see his breath, if he could breathe. Inside his head, Haunter was cool as ice. Focus and just phase out, he said, with a hint of agitation. Haunter was embarrassed for him, he realized. Marcus tried to clear his mind, but was interrupted as something thick and rough wrapped around his ankles, crushing them together. The pain shot his eyes open and his heart started up in double time. Oh no, he thought frantically, It's over. It's all over! Marcus felt his eyes water. He didn't like the idea of a ghost type trainer being killed by a ghost type Pokémon. His brief life with his parents flashed before his eyes. His first Pokémon Sableye, and their many battles together. The destruction of his home town, New Bark. The rise of Dagger and the fall of trainers. The years he spent visiting the most haunted places in the world, befriending Pokémon. The life-saving deal with Haunter.

Marcus' heart clenched. Haunter. Part of their deal involved Haunter allowing Marcus to use some of his power. Marcus had an idea. Haunter, he thought, Give me all of your power. It's the only way I'll live. Marcus' heart raced on as Haunter was silent a while. The thick layers of gauze were creeping up his pant legs, wrapping each separately, and a separate strand was wrapping his eyes. Haunter spoke. I'll give you all of my power, boy, and I assure your survival, but can you survive 100% unification, I wonder? Marcus was set in his decision. "Fine." he said aloud. "Take me."

Raziel cowered in a corner. Lance was unconscious, his moves useless on the ghost types. Raziel's Miracle Eye had been disabled shortly after Marcus was eaten. Oh God, she thought. This is where it ends for us. She pulled Lance's body closer to her and shut her eyes. She silently prayed for a swift death. When nothing happened, she raised her head. The Cofagrigus that had eaten Marcus had gone completely still, and was making a pained face. The one that had been poised to kill her had turned his attention to its comrade. Slowly, cracks spider-webbed throughout the Cofagrigus' body. It made a pathetic cry, probably for help, before it exploded. Raziel ducked her head as pieces of gold flew through the air. There standing in the pile of rubble that had been the Cofagrigus, was Marcus. Gauze wrapped part of his right leg, and he had pieces of the left pant leg missing. Were his eyes were supposed to be; there was a thin layer of gauze.

Raziel sucked in a harsh breath. He was blind. As she was starting to feel all sorts of emotions well up, Marcus snapped his head to the other Cofagrigus. It recoiled as if he had hit it, then it soared out through the hole in the roof. Beneath the gauze, Raziel could make out Glowing red eyes that were too large and too slanted to be human. Haunter, she thought. He gave himself to Haunter. She had always known Marcus got his powers from Haunter, but she had never known the full extent. She could practically feel the energy radiating off of him. His mouth was stretched into an unnaturally large grin, lined with wickedly sharp teeth. He straightened up. From the back of his head, two long strands of gauze hung all the way to his lower back, longer than her own hair. He brought his hands up to feel his own face where the gauze has stuck. Oh God his hands. Where there had once been soft, dark skin, there were now pitch-black, Haunter-like claws. He brought his hands down and walked over to Raziel. His body left a gaseous smoke in its wake. Raziel reflexively shrunk away from him as he stood over her.

"M-Marcus?" she stammered. Marcus smiled, showing off those dangerous teeth. When he spoke, it was a sound like Marcus speaking with a horribly raspy voice. "Not quite, milady, I'm Haunter." Haunter outstretched a clawed hand to help her up.

"I'll always be Haunter."


End file.
